Beef
Market Beef, Breeding, feeder calves, cow / calf, must have identification submitted to the Extension Office by June 15. Exhibitors must have completed Quality Assurance Certification through Nebraska Extension by June 15. All Beef including Feeder Calves, Breeding Heifers, Cow/Calf and Market must be pre-entered on an Animal Entry Form at the York County Extension Office by the first Friday of July.
All beef (except Feeder Calves) must be in place by 9 p.m. on Wednesday. Feeder Calves and 1st year bull calves must be in place by 8:30 a.m. on Friday of fair. Market Beef will be weighed at the fair on the Thursday of fair between 8:00-9:00 a.m. Each exhibitor may show up to 7 Beef plus 2 Feeder Calves, and 1 Bucket Calf.
Bucket Calves
Pay Code 110
Bucket calves, to be exhibited in this class must be identified and ear tagged on official 4-H ID forms and on file at the Extension Office by June 15. Exhibitors must have completed Quality Assurance Certification through Nebraska Extension by June 15. All Bucket calves must be pre-entered on an Animal Entry Form at the York County Extension Office by the first Friday of July. Record books must be turned into the Extension Office by July 21.
All bucket calves must be in place by 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday of fair. Check in will be from 8-9 a.m. on Thursday of fair.
Bucket calves may be shown with or without show sticks. Grooming other than clean and healthy in appearance will not be recognized with extra credit. Entries may be heifer or steer calves, either beef or dairy, born between January 1 and June 1 of current year and enrolled in the Bucket Calf project. Bucket calves must be away from real or surrogate mothers by June 1. Exhibitors limited to one entry. Classes may be split at the Superintendent's discretion. Final placing will be based on a combined score of three areas of evaluation.
The areas are weighted with:
One-third based on members’ record book 10 pts.
One-third based on interview with judge 10 pts.
One-third based on a presentation score 10 pts.
Total 30 pts.
J001001 - Junior Division (8-12 years)
J001002 - Senior Division (13-18 years)
Clover Kids
Pay Code 240
J001003 - Clover Kid Bucket Calf Class
Feeder Calves
Pay Code 100
Each exhibitor will be limited to 2 entries. Entries may be heifer and/or steer calves born between Jan. 1 and June 1 of the current year. Steer calves must be steers by fair time. Calves to be exhibited in this class must be identified and ear-tagged on official Nebraska 4-H feeder calf ID forms and on file at the Extension Office by June 15. Calves are to be of known sire and dam. All breeds will show in one class. If a class is too large it may be divided at the discretion of the Beef Superintendent. Feeder calves are dismissed after the show. Feeder calves may be stalled in the beef barn (if there is room) for the duration of the fair but cannot return once they are removed.
J002001 - Feeder Calf Steers
J002002 - Feeder Calf Heifers
Showmanship
Pay Code 110
All youth entering Beef animal will be automatically entered in Showmanship.
Junior Division (8-10 years)
Intermediate Division (11-13 years)
Senior Division (14-18 years)
Breeding Heifers
Pay Code 100
All breeding heifers born after January 1 of current year can be brought and be taken home the day of the show. First year bull calves can be brought and be taken home the day of the show. A breeding animal to be eligible for show in a registered breed class must be owned by the exhibitor by June 15 of the current year and must be of a purebred or full blood percentage in divisions for Angus, Charolais, Hereford/Polled Hereford, Red Angus and Shorthorn; registered 3/4 percentage in all other classes except for Chianina and Commercial breeds. Registered heifers with registration percentages lower than ¾ blood are eligible to compete in the Other Registered Breeds class or in the Commercial Breeding Heifer classes. Champions and Reserve Champions will be named in each breed. Supreme Champion Breeding Heifers will be selected from the breed champions and reserves. Registered breeding heifers must be identified with a legible ear tattoo that corresponds with the registration papers. Commercial breeding heifers must be identified by an ear tattoo or ear tag. Must be owned by the exhibitor and have a known birth date.
Original registration papers or electronic papers presented using a tablet or smart phone will be accepted if pulled up or downloaded from their respective breed website. NO PRINTED PAPER COPIES ACCEPTED. Original papers or electronic versions only.
Divisions
J100, Angus
J110, Charolais
J111, Chianina
J112, Commercial
J113, Gelbvieh
J114, Hereford/Polled Hereford
J115, Limousin
J116, Maine Anjou
J117, Red Angus
J118, Shorthorn
J119, Simmental
J120. Miniature Breeds
J121, Other Registered Breeds
J122, Home Raised Breeding Heifer
J123. First Year Bull Calf
Class Numbers
001 - Yearling Heifers Calved Aug-Dec 2024 (Should be bred, but not calved prior to show)
002 - Calved Jan. and Feb. 25
003 - Calved Mar. and Apr. 25
004 - Calved May and June ‘25
005 - Calved July and Aug. 25
006 - Calved Sept. and Oct. 25
007 - Calved Nov. and Dec. 25
008 - Born after January 1, 26
Cow/Calf Pair
Pay Code 100
J223001 - Cow/Calf Pair (cow must have been identified as the 4-H exhibitor's breeding heifer of the pervious year.)
J223002 - Cow/Calf Pair – other
Fed Steer Contest
Pay Code 100
The Fed Steer Contest is designed to provide youth with hands-on experience in understanding feed efficiency, growth performance, and carcass value while connecting live animal management to real-world beef production outcomes.
All steers entered in the Fed Steer Contest must be weighed at the official weigh-in date. Steers will be weighed again at the county fair, and ultrasound data will be collected the same day to evaluate carcass traits.
Ultrasound measurements will be used to assess key carcass characteristics, including marbling and ribeye area, and to calculate carcass value per day on feed.
Awards will be given for:
- Top 2 Average Daily Gain (ADG)
- Top 2 Marbling Score
- Top 2 Ribeye Area
- Top 2 Carcass Value per Day on Feed
Steers entered in the Fed Steer Contest will be shown in a separate class, with the top steers advancing in the show similar to other market steer divisions. In addition to competition, this class will include educational opportunities to help exhibitors better understand performance data, carcass evaluation, and how management decisions impact profitability and beef quality.
Market Beef
Pay Code 100
Entries will be shown in respective classes of steers and heifers. Market beef must be identified, ear tagged with an EID tag and on file by June 15. No animal may show in both market and breeding classes. Home raised calves must be bred, born and raised by the exhibitor. Please check Rule #24, for Home Raised Class eligibility.
J224001 - Crossbred Market Steers
J224002 - Bucket Calf Market Steers (24)
J224003 - Home Raised Steers
J224004 - British Breed Steers (Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn)
J224010 - Crossbred Market Heifers
J224011 - Bucket Calf Market Heifers (24)
J224012 - Home Raised Market Heifers
Club Group of Three
Pay Code 300
Each 4-H club or FFA chapter may enter three beef animals to be exhibited as a group in the show ring. Each calf will be shown by an exhibitor and one extra herdsman will be allowed. All four exhibitors must be members of the same club or chapter and there is a limit of one club group per club or chapter.
J224013 - Club Group of Three Beef